A Stockton Summer
by JustDerkT
Summary: An AU fanfiction of A&P by John Updike. It is the summer of 1961 in Stockton, MA. Sammy, a 19-year old, spends one day working a shift at his local A&P store. Then, his former classmate "Queenie" walks in, and his world changes.
1. Chapter 1

**A.N: This is an AU of John Updike's famous short story: "A&P". Some canonical facts have been changed. Sammy's father is a late soldier, and Queenie is Sammy's former high school classmate.**

_June 8, 1961_

Getting out of my bed, I stepped onto the cold wooden floor of my bedroom. Upon touching the floor, my bare feet felt cooler, and I looked around at my belongings. My bed had lime-green sheets, the same ones that I had since five years ago during my first year of high school. To the left of my bed was a nightstand with an electric lamp and a windup alarm clock on top of its surface. I picked up the alarm clock and I thought about the father I lost. As far as I knew, he had died in Europe at the end of WW2, just after my third birthday. Instead of spending his last three years back home, he had spent every second as a soldier fighting for his three loves: God, country, and family. Despite feeling proud that my father had died a war hero, I could not help feeling abandoned by my father. Almost nothing remained of him except for an empty hole in my mother's heart and his belongings, including that old alarm clock. I could only wonder how my life would have gone if Father survived, and perhaps my mother thought the same.

I walked to the drawer where my clothes were kept, and I opened it to take out a pair of khaki pants, and a white collared shirt. After I dressed into them, I looked at my reflection in the mirror: a dark-haired, brown-eyed boy on the cusp of manhood. Fixing my collar, I heard the voice of my mother from the kitchen.

"Sammy, you must remember that your shift at the A&P store starts at 8:00," she said.

"Okay, Mother," I replied.

I made my way to the kitchen, where my mother could be seen cleaning plates in the sink while the radio played "Put Your Head On My Shoulder". Looking at my mother, I thought that I saw her eyes glistening with unshed tears. I debated with myself whether to ask her if she was alright, or if she was better unbothered. After a moment, I made my decision.

"Are you alright, Mother? You seem down this morning."

She turned to face me with her glistening blue eyes. "Well, Sammy… this song reminds me of your father. I can almost feel as if I'm eighteen again, being held in his hearty embrace as a young schoolgirl. Oh, I miss him so much!"

Watching unshed tears well up in those blue eyes made me feel sorry for Mom. I thought of what to say to comfort her broken heart. Even after sixteen years, she could hardly cope with the loss of my father. I turned away and walked to my seat before taking a seat to enjoy my breakfast. Savoring the toast sandwich that my mother prepared, I thanked my mother, which brought a brief smile to her face.

"At least I still had my mother," I thought, and I smiled as I thought of the sermon pastor Dan gave about being thankful despite being in a consumerist society.

I ate my sandwich, and I finished my glass of cool, refreshing milk. After I finished my breakfast, I brought my plates to my mother who thanked me and wished me a good day at my shift at the A&P three blocks away. Walking around, I made my way to the bathroom. After going through the remainder of my morning hygiene routine, I looked in the bathroom mirror to check my reflection again. My coal black hair was neatly done in a crew cut, and my warm brown eyes stared back at me. Accepting my appearance as decent enough, I exited the bathroom, and I gathered my keys. Spotting my mother, I saw her approach me, and I noticed that her eyes were red from crying.

Before I stepped out of the door, my mother came to me, and she asked me, "Would you prefer me to drive you there? It's still early before my shift in Stockton High School."

"Thanks, Mother, but I can drive the motorcycle. A few blocks shouldn't be a major problem, as I've been driving for two years."

"Alright, take care, dear. Now give your mother a kiss goodbye."

I hesitated, and said, "Aren't I too old for that?"

"Nonsense!" my mother said, and she gave me a brief kiss on the cheek.

"Keep safe. I don't want to lose you like I lost your father," she added, looking at me with those begging blue eyes, and she gave me a knapsack with my lunch inside.

"I'll be fine, Mother," I said, smiling back.

Putting on my shoes and my knapsack, I looked back at my mother, who made her way to the couch to read the newspapers. I checked my watch, and it read thirty-five past seven o'clock. Well, it was time to start driving to Lengel's A&P store!

Closing the door behind me, I looked at the fine piece of engineering, as its chrome parts gleamed in the sunlight. As a gift from Mister Tony, the manager of Tony's Auto Repair next to Lengel's store, the motorcycle was a 1961 Mustang Pony. Compared to the countless hours of checkout work at the store, I enjoyed my shift as a novice car mechanic at the auto shop. Since my younger years, I had always wondered how vehicles worked, and I would spend some time looking at schematics of motorcycles. If I could quit my job at that store, I would do so if my mother were not so adamant about me working there.

Sitting on the motorcycle, I started the engine with the keys, and the engine roared to life. With one last look at my modest single-story house, I began to drive off the driveway. Driving out of my suburb, I reached the intersection of Main Street and 12th Street, where a billboard for the A&P chain store stood. Even outside of Lengel's store, the dominance of A&P and other big businesses refused to cease. Consumerism-based capitalism was the way of America rather than the socialist system of the Soviets. I did not mind, as with a free market came a benefit: less restriction to useful goods and services.

Turning right, I drove down Main Street, passing by many familiar buildings. Halfway to the store, I saw the Stockton Lutheran Church with its graceful white-painted steeple and ornate stained-glass windows. The small crowd of people in the church yard was not a surprise. Pastor Dan always hosted a fellowship potluck on random days. I would have liked to help, but I still had to work at Lengel's, even if I disliked it. After passing the church, I passed by Tony's Auto Shop and Melton's Diner, and I felt a melancholy feeling upon reminiscing of my high school years. It was in the diner that I had my first kiss and breakup as a young sophomore.

After a few minutes, I arrived at a small brick building with large windows. On top of the front wall were the letters **A&P **in big white letters. Now, I was at Lengel's store where I would spend a few hours dealing with the supermarket sheep. Parking my motorcycle in front of the store, I restrained a sigh. Everyone had their burdens, especially the typical fresh high school graduate. I stopped the engine, and I pocketed my keys before entering the store.

"Good morning, Sammy. You're fifteen minutes early," a dark-haired man said, holding an A&P uniform.

"Good morning, Mister Lengel," I said.

"As usual, ensure that you are wearing your store uniform, especially your nametag," Lengel said, and he handed the uniform to me.

I went into the employee lounge, and I wore the uniform: a red apron with my white shirt underneath, and my plastic name-tag which read "Sammy". Before leaving the lounge, I saw Stokesie walk in while I took off my knapsack. We smiled at each other and said our good mornings. Stokesie, a young father at the age of twenty-two years, was one of my few friends in Lengel's store. We often talked about our experiences, our hobbies, and our plans for the weekend. Working for extended hours in the checkout aisles yielded only stress and exhaustion. At least the presence of Stokesie made it tolerable.

"Hey, Sammy, I'll meet you by the checkout aisles when I'm ready."

"Sure, Stokesie."

As soon as I exited the lounge, Lengel reminded me to check for any misplaced items on the shelves. I replied, "Yes, Mister Lengel."

While I checked the shelves, the speakers began to play the radio hits of the season. As "Surfin'" played, I placed a can of canned soup back into place. For certain, I knew that Stokesie must have connected the radio to the speaker system. Chucking, I thought about how the man was a lively, entertaining person, or someone to brighten my days. Just a minute shy of opening time, I finished fixing the item arrangements.

"Sammy, Stokesie, McMahon, and the rest of you! Don't you all forget that it's opening time… " Lengel warned.

I almost jumped from his warning, and I glanced at the front doors where people could be seen behind the glass. Running through the aisles, I made my way to the aisle counters where Stokesie waited in Booth 1, grinning. When Lengel walked to the front doors to unlock them, I reached Booth 2: the location where I would remain for six hours counting lunch break. Once Lengel opened the doors, the shoppers flooded in. The first wave of shoppers began to scour the shelves for various items, and me and Stokesie kept watch for any approaching people. McMahon, a tall-thick man with graying hair, went to his place alongside two other workers.

The first dozen or so shoppers walked to our row, pushing their shopping carts filled with groceries. As I checked out a small family of a couple and one daughter, Stokesie spoke some small talk with an old lady. I glanced back, and I recognized the lady as a regular churchgoer in Pastor Dan's church. Miss Em, a former WWI nurse turning sixty-six, had served her country without hesitation, and I remembered her stories about her wartime adventures. A shell had fallen within ten meters of her, and only a concrete wall saved her life and another soldier she was treating. That soldier, Old Benton, married her just a few months after the war ended. Despite not being in a relationship, I felt happy that most people in my hometown of Stockton did not experience much tragedies, except for my mother.

A few hours passed, and the horde of shoppers thinned out. Looking at the clock on the back wall, I noticed that it was lunch break. Looking at Stokesie, I called out to him. "Mind if you take over for me, Stokesie? It's my lunch break."

"Yeah… sure, but you gotta take over for me after you finish your lunch," Stokesie replied, tapping a few buttons on his cash register.

"Not a problem. As usual, I'll be back in about ten minutes."

Pressing a few buttons, I closed the cash register, and I looked at my checkout aisle. At least there were no shoppers at the moment. Even then, there were only a handful of shoppers during noontime, as most people had lunch around that time. I paced to a red door marked Employees Only, and I opened it to find my knapsack. Sitting by the small wooden table, I opened my knapsack and savored my turkey, cheese, and lettuce sandwich. I ate in near silence, and the quiet atmosphere of the small room helped me relax.

After finishing my sandwich, I looked at the clock. Nine minutes had passed, and I knew that I needed to return to my post. I went outside and said to Stokesie, "I'm back… I'll take over for you."

Stokesise nodded, and said, "Thanks, pal. You're a good guy."

As Stokesie entered the lounge to have lunch, I stepped into his booth. Facing a man with auburn hair, I smiled at him. He grinned before handing me cash to pay for his bags of apples and pears. I felt comfortable. When the shoppers showed me patience, I felt at ease, and stress seemed almost nonexistent. For the next few minutes, I checked out the purchases of every person in the short line without error. Although I was not very enthusiastic with my job at Lengel's store, I found the task easy, so I hardly made any mistakes.

When Stokesie came out of the door, I gestured for him to come over. He whispered, "Not much trouble, right pal? At least there's just a few people here."

"Yeah, at least the workload seems to be decreasing a bit. Well, I gotta go back to my booth."

I walked back to my booth, and I waited with patience for more shoppers to check out. A few minutes later, everything changed. The glass doors opened, and the door bells chimed. The sound caught my attention, and I looked at the new visitors. Three young ladies in nothing but bathing suits walked in without hesitation. I wanted to lecture them that their attire was against store policy, but the sight of their beautiful figures entranced me. My mouth refused to cooperate.

The girl leading the other two, a fine specimen of the female sex with a pale peach complexion, walked with grace into the store. She wore a one-piece bathing suit with a beige tinge, and her modest bosom rose beneath the fabric. Silently, she walked to the snack aisle with her two friends. One of them, a black haired girl with brown eyes and a chunky figure, nervously looked around and fidgeted with her fingers. She wore a two piece green bikini, and I could not help looking at her plump behind. Glancing at Stokesie, I saw him glance repeatedly at the girls. Even though he was married, he failed to resist the sight of those Sirens.

"Oh Daddy, I feel so faint," I heard Stokesie speak in a hushed tone.

Without thinking, I murmured, "Darling, hold me tight."

The tallest girl, a green-eyed beauty with jet black hair that fell in curls down her shoulders, walked with the same confidence of the leading girl. She looked my way, and she sneered at me like a henchman would. I decided to call her Big-Tall-Goony-Goony at that moment, as she appeared as the tough sidekick of the leading girl, who I decided to nickname Queenie. I looked closer at her, and I blinked again. I knew this girl! That small nose and her pink lipstick would be recognizable by anyone in Stockton High's class of 1960.

"My golly, it's my classmate, Beverly Anders, the former math ace of the school and head cheerleader… she sat adjacent to me in Calculus class!" I exclaimed in my mind.

I looked at her friends with a more focused gaze, and I recognized them too. The chunky girl was Patty Benson: Beverly's close friend since middle school. Big Tall Goony Goony was Colleen Welch, the baseball star of the school. She had only a year until graduation. After they chose a small can from the shelf, they walked over to McMahon, who cheerfully gave advice to them about the store. They turned around and walked straight towards my aisle, and I turned my head away. I felt the temperature of the store increase, and I wondered how I would appropriately react.

"Shit. What do I say? _Hello, I'm your classmate from Calculus class! Wanna talk about Integrals?_" I thought with sarcasm.

I made the mistake of looking back at the girls once again. Queenie, or Beverly, gasped and dropped the can of herring snacks with a loud clatter on the floor. Apparently, she and her friends recognized me too.

"Sammy?" she said in a soft tone.

I put on my best smile, and greeted her. "Hey, Beverly. We… um… sat together in Calculus, remember?"

Beverly blushed, and bent down to pick up the can before replying, "Yeah, it's been over a year since we saw each other."

Beverly came to my aisle, and feeling nervous, I looked back at Stokesie, who gave me a thumbs up. I inhaled a deep breath. I turned back to face Beverly and her friends, and she pulled out a five dollar bill from between her breasts after handing over the jar. I felt a strange feeling stirring in my groin, and the face of a disapproving Lengel flashed in my mind. I tapped a few buttons on the cash register and handed Beverly the change before I heard the sound of approaching footsteps behind me. Beverly and her friends widened their eyes in fear, and I looked behind me to face Lengel.

"Girls, this isn't the beach. And Beverly, you know better than to wear that… in a public store," Lengel said in a stern tone, and he crossed his arms.

The shoppers looked at us along with Stokesie, who shook his head with a barely perceptible "_Aww_".

Silence filled the store, and I could feel the tension in the air. I felt a dozen gazes on me and the three girls. I thought, "What should I do? I can't just humiliate my classmate in front of a dozen strangers!" At that moment, I felt as if God had set the universe on pause.

To Be Continued.


	2. Chapter 2

Looking at Beverly, I saw those porcelain cheeks turning a tender shade of pink. I felt conflicted. First, I had read the store policy multiple times, and decent dressing was required. Swimsuits or bikinis were discouraged, and nudity for certain was forbidden! As a rule of thumb, the specifications for decent clothing could be summarized in just two guidelines. The private areas and the upper body required plentiful coverage, and the legs needed coverage at least halfway down the thighs. Short skirts and sleeveless dresses were barely acceptable. On the other hand, I felt weary of working for extended shifts in Lengel's store, and I wanted a reason to quit. Also, the poor young ladies blushed from embarrassment, and their cheeks turned a pinkish hue.

"Sorry, Mister Lengel. We just forgot to bring spare clothes when we visited the beach five miles east. My mother asked me to pick up a jar of herring snacks… it won't be long."

The way her voice enunciated those vowels seemed… upper class. In that instant, I had a fleeting vision of a typical day of her summer break. Men in tuxedo suits and women in elegant dresses sauntered around her backyard, picking assorted cuisines from a covered table. Beverly Anders, the daughter of a lawyer and businesswoman, laid back on a folding beach chair on the cobblestone floor of her home patio, sipping from a glass cup filled with Coca-Cola. Her friends chattered with their boys, and they joked and laughed while walking around the well-trimmed back lawn. Beside the table, hotshot lawyer Albert Anders and businesswoman Ellen Anders stood with imposing gazes over the scene.

"That's all right, but this isn't the beach," Lengel said in a disappointed tone, and my mind jolted back into reality.

Lengel held his focused stare and this signature frown, or that iconic Sunday school teacher stare of utter disapproval. I turned away from Lengel to look at Beverly, and I saw her blush deepen. Her chunky friend, Patty, commented in a feeble attempt to defend her.

"We weren't doing any lengthy shopping. We just came in for the one thing," Patty said in a hushed tone.

"That makes no difference, young lady," Lengel said, and he looked closer at her attire. I realized that Lengel had just realized that Patty wore a green two-piece, and I resisted the urge to smile. I did not want to appear as someone who found enjoyment from the misfortune of others. After all, my classmate Beverly was standing in front of me, and she kept her fingers interlocked. Her blushing face and her pouting lips reminded me of a schoolgirl caught in trouble, and I felt my heart soften for her. Things quickly worsened, as Lengel pulled out his big guns by further pressuring the girls.

"There's a good reason why young women like you are supposed to behave proper. Beauty without any moral discretion is tainted. Now, if you three continue this indecency, you all might be barred from this store," Lengel added, crossing his arms, and I could see the guilty looks on the faces of the girls.

I gave Beverly a plastic shopping bag, and she took it. "Thanks," she whispered.

Blushing a bright red, Beverly and her friends turned to the front doors. I felt something I had not felt before. I came to a realization: I could no longer work in Lengel's store. He had embarrassed my former classmates, and the unwanted attention I received from the shoppers felt uncomfortable. I spoke up, as I could no longer deny that I disliked working at the A&P.

"Lengel, I'm sorry, but I cannot do this anymore. I quit," I said loud enough for the girls to hear.

Glancing at the front door, I spotted the three girls watching me from behind the glass door. Beverly looked at me with widened ocean blue eyes, and she held a hand over her mouth as if to stifle a gasp. Did she appreciate me standing up for her and her friends? I could not be completely sure, but one thing was certain: I captured their attention. Turning my gaze back toward Lengel, I noticed that his frown deepened.

"Did you say something, Sammy?" he asked me.

"I said… _I quit_," I replied, with emphasis on the last two words.

"I thought you did."

"You didn't have to embarrass them, especially considering that they were my classmates. As long as they were shopping and not doing anything else, there was no actual problem," I retorted.

Lengel shook his head again. "No, Sammy. It was them who were embarrassing us, with that skimpy beach wear. What they were doing was indecent and disruptive!"

"Fiddle-dee-dee," I said. It was an old saying from my grandmother, who came from Virginia.

"I don't think you know what you're saying," Lengel said.

"You may not understand what I'm doing, but I do," I said, and I shrugged off my apron before folding it and placing it on the table.

Lengel sighs, and he attempted to make me reconsider my choice. "Sammy, you know that you don't want to do this to your mother. Would she approve of your decision to quit because of just a single disagreement?"

After I took off my bow-tie, I said to Lengel, "I appreciate your concern, but I'm a young man now. I feel that I have a right to make decisions independently."

I looked at Stokesie, and he wore a frown as he checked out another customer in his line. Feeling sorry for Stokesie, I placed up the Line Closed sign upon my booth, and I walked to Stokesie. He turned to me with those sad brown eyes.

"You're… leaving?" Stokesie quietly said, looking into my eyes.

"I'm sorry, but I feel that I need to take risks, or else nothing will change in my life."

"Take care of yourself, Sammy. I wish you the best," Stokesie said, placing a hand on my shoulder.

"Thanks, pal. Stay cool."

I walked away from my co-worker, and I breezed out the front door to see Beverly and her two friends waiting by their cyan blue Cadillac. Beverly smiled at me and gestured for me to approach her. I looked behind me one last time to see Stokesie and Lengel wave goodbye. With the shackles of my past job behind me, I walked forward to the next stage of my life. Upon reaching the girls, Beverly grinned wider, and her taller friend smiled at me for the first time. Plaid, or Patty, nodded in approval.

"Thanks for standing up for us, we appreciate that," Patty whispered.

"I am very thankful, Sammy. You're a brave young man, aren't you?" Beverly said in a sly tone.

I nervously chuckled. "Yeah… sure."

"That's good and all, but what about getting another job?"

"Oh… I actually work at Tony's Auto Repair from Mondays to Wednesdays, including Fridays. It's my other job, so at least I have some backup source of income."

"Really? That's swell for you."

"Thanks. How about you? What are you planning for your career?"

"I haven't decided yet… maybe I could follow in my mother's footsteps and take over her company when she retires. Another choice for me could be, well, teaching."

"Honestly, I think that you would make a good businesswoman. You're a young woman who isn't afraid to speak for herself and one with a well endowed mind, so go for it!"

Beverly blushed at my encouragement, and I became nervous. Did I put her in an awkward situation again? She looked into my eyes with those oceanic blue jewels before speaking.

"I appreciate your encouragement, Sammy. Well, it's been nice talking to you, so see you around!"

I smiled, saying, "See you later!"

Beverly, along with her friends, turned around to walk to their red 1960 Cadillac, an Eldorado series. Thanks to Tony's mentorship, I could identify dozens of car brands and series from recent years. I watched Beverly unlock the car doors and sit on the beige colored cushioned seats with the same color as her bathing suit. It was as if she were camouflaged in shades of beige. Waving at the girls, I watch their car drive out of the parking lot. Looking around, I knew that I no longer had any reason to stay around Lengel's store any longer. Once one goes through with a gesture, it is fatal to stop in the middle of it.

I found my motorcycle in its parking spot still untouched, waiting for its rider. Taking a seat on the leather cushion of my prized motorcycle, I took out my keys. I started the engine, and the engine revved up to life. With one last look through the glass windows of Lengel's store, I saw Lengel checking the shopper through, and the expression on his face looked wearier as if he aged by ten years. Instead of pity for them, I felt that they would do alright. Lengel and Stokesie would do just as well without me.

I was like a fish swimming upstream against the current, as I had defied the norms of my life. I had stepped out of my safe zone, and it was time to deal with the consequences, especially a long talk with my mother. Reversing out of my parking spot, I prepared for the short trip to Tony's Auto Repair. I drove out of the parking lot and then onto Main Street. Passing by the Stockton Lutheran Church, I thought about Beverly. For once, I felt curious about how she had been doing after graduating from Stockton High. Perhaps I would have another chance to see her sometime.

"Mother's at work, so I'll stop by Tony's until four o'clock," I said to myself while I passed another block of small shops and businesses.

Soon, I reached Tony's business, a modestly sized building painted in hues of red and white. Hearing the noise of my motorcycle's engine, a well-toned, muscular man with brown hair in front of the building looked in my direction. Smiling at him, I knew that I would enjoy my time at Tony's Auto Repair Shop. I stopped the motorcycle by the curb in front of the auto repair shop. After stopping the engine, I got off my motorcycle and walked over to the man. The man grinned, stepping slowly towards me. We shook hands, and we began to give each other the basics of how our Thursday went.

"Sammy, good to see you stop by!" the man warmly spoke.

"It makes me happy to see you once again, Mister Tony." I said.

"That's fine, but why did you end your shift at Lengel's store early?"

"I quit. I just didn't feel that working at Lengel's store was the right path for me. The pay was decent, yet I disliked the nosy and bothersome shoppers and the job seemed monotonous."

"You mean that your former job was… boring?"

"Yes, but that wasn't all. Lengel started to pick on these three girls, and they were my classmates. I felt uncomfortable with working under a man who humiliates girls in front of say, a dozen shoppers, so I quit," I said.

"I understand how you feel. Sometimes, a young man has to stand up and make sacrifices for a greater purpose."

"Yeah, that sounds like something my father would say if he had survived the war."

"He was a good man, Sammy. I served with him in Europe, and we sure sent those Nazi bastards a swift shot of justice. We were just ordinary men doing a job for a cause greater than our lives. Someday, I'd like to tell you some stories about your father."

"I appreciate your offer, but maybe later would be a good opportunity to tell me."

"Alright. Now, do you want to stay here? If so, you'll have to help me fix that Chevy Bel Air over there," Tony stated, gesturing to a dark blue painted 1958 Chevorlet Bel Air.

"Sure," I replied, walking with him to the repair garage.

I spent over three hours helping Tony around his auto shop, and unlike the job at Lengel's store, I enjoyed working with Tony. After two years of experience of repairing automobiles and other vehicles, my repairing skills became decent. Repairing the Bel Air with Tony was not very difficult, as I already knew the basic parts of the inner workings of an automobile. As soon as the work was done, we went to the employee resting room. Opening the door, I looked at the familiar surroundings of the room, with the same faint aroma of lavender-scented air freshener. A single couch laid against the wall alongside a small cabinet and table.

"Would you like a Coca-Cola, Sammy?" He asked me, reaching into the cabinet.

"No thanks," I replied.

Tony opened his bottle of Coca-cola, and he sipped from it while I lounged on the couch. I was thinking about how I was going to explain my decision to quit Lengel's store job. For certain, my mother would at best, reluctantly accept my choice in Lengel's store. I could only hope that she would understand my reasons for doing so. While I thought about what to say to my mother, Tony sat on the couch beside me.

"You seem bothered by something. Do you want to talk with me?"

"Yeah, it's just that I was thinking about how to explain to my mother that I quit my job at Lengel's."

Tony kept silent for a moment, and he placed a hand on his chin. "Yes, I believe that you should tell your mother _why _you quit. Even if she does not accept your reasons for doing so, you have my support."

"You are right, Mister Tony. Well, I see that it's time to end my work here. My mother comes home in about an hour."

"Then I wish you a safe trip, Sammy. I hope your mother understands."


End file.
